JOB POSTING
Community Services and Outreach
Willow’s/Emma’s Place
Client Advocate
Full-Time, Permanent
1 Position
Wage: $24.13 per hour
Posting No. MS0667
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Client Advocate will provide feminist, trauma-informed, compassionate, low barrier and innovative supports. Client Advocates will assist women, transgender and non-binary individuals whom predominantly have high acuity mental health and addictions, with meeting their basic needs. This includes access to food, showers, laundry facilities and a safe place to rest. The Client Advocate will support individual goals and plans including making referrals to appropriate community agencies/supports. The Client Advocate will assess the safety of the individuals they support and work with them to create personal safety plans as required. The Client Advocate will also provide support with developing coping strategies and education on harm reductions strategies and any other self-identified goals. The Client Advocate will prevent, manage and defuse any behavioural issues that may arise in the space, and encourage a caring, healthy, safe and positive work environment for both peers and service users.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Ensure the overall safety of the space by ensuring that basic expectations of behaviour are met. Utilizing CPI techniques as well as other de-escalation strategies to minimize conflict, aggression and resulting service
- Health and safety issues are addressed/reported immediately; complete regular spot checks in washrooms, showers and other client areas; clean up and dispose of paraphernalia according to Mission Services Policies
- Demonstrated ability to provide person-centered, trauma and antiracist anti oppressive informed services and supports to women, transgender and non-binary individuals with diverse experiences and identities; engage through structured activities, meal time, and 1:1 opportunities
- Provide therapeutic groups for women, transgender and non-binary individuals
- Provide strategic engagement for women, transgender and non-binary individuals who are precariously housed; provide support and resources to prevent homelessness
- Provide strategic engagement for women, transgender and non-binary individuals who are chronically or episodically homeless; provide support and resources to find appropriate housing including a referral or our in-house systems navigators
- Distribute harm reductions supplies; as well as reviewing their use and purpose; overdose education and complete naloxone training reviews
- Create overdose prevention plans for substance users who are considered high risk
- Respond to overdose events in coordination with fellow coworkers, connecting with EMS, and followup post over-dose
- Make appropriate referrals to services based on service user identified needs and priorities; maintain updated community resources
- Monitor, maintain and distribute health, hygiene and laundry supplies
- Connect and work effectively with community agencies re: partnerships/initiatives; promote the space through outreach efforts
- Support other members of the team (i.e. volunteers and students), ensuring that each individual is familiar with the day to day operations and philosophies of the space
- Track daily, weekly and monthly statistical information that will help guide the future developments of the space
- Adhere to a strict policy of confidentiality
- Ensure Mission Service’s workplace Health & Safety policies and procedures are followed at all times
- Other duties as required to ensure the continuation of service to participants in the space
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Degree or Diploma in human services, social work/social services or equivalent work experience and education
- Experience and education in Concurrent Disorders an asset
- Experience working in programs serving women with complex and intersecting needs including poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, addictions and trauma
- Skilled in crisis intervention, de-escalation, conflict resolution and group facilitation
- Comfortable working with women in crisis; there may be risk of exposure to unpredictable behaviours and situations
- Demonstrated commitment to principles of harm reduction
- Capable of adapting to a flexible and sometimes chaotic work environment
- Effective verbal and written communication skills, strong organizational and time management skills
- Strong problem-solving, team building, decision-making and priority setting skills
- Second language is an asset
HOURS OF WORK:
· 37.5 hours per week
· Ability to work a flexible schedule dependent on program needs, including day, evening, night and weekend shifts
REQUIREMENTS:
· Police Vulnerable Sector Check
· Two-Step Tuberculosis Skin Test
COMPENSATION:
· Hourly wage starts at $24.13 per hour
· *Benefits after 3-months of continuous, active employment
· *Group RRSP employer matching up to 3% after one (1) year of continuous employment
At Mission Services of Hamilton, we value diversity in our employees and we work from an anti-racism/anti-oppression framework and strive for equity and inclusion.
We strive to foster an organization that reflects the diversity of the community we serve and welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We encourage applications from individuals from underserved and underrepresented cultural and racial communities, from First Nations Inuit and Metis communities, Two-Spirit, LGBTQIA+ communities, people living with disabilities, and those with lived experience of abuse, food insecurity, homelessness, mental health difficulties and addictions.
Mission Services is also committed to developing an inclusive, barrier-free selection process and work environment. We thank all applicants, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. If contacted, please advise us if you require any accommodation measures to ensure you will be interviewed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation requests will be treated with confidentiality.
We are committed to a fair and transparent hiring process. While our recruitment system may use AI‑assisted tools to help screen applications, final decisions are made by our recruitment team, and all applications receive human review.
Pay: From $24.13 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
Work Location: In person
